The present invention is directed generally to improvements in surgical support devices for positioning and retaining a patient during a surgical procedure. More specifically, the invention relates to a surgical support device having design improvements related to securely and safely supporting an obese surgical patient in a position laying on one side justified on the operating table in close proximity to the operating surgeon during hip, pelvis or bariatric surgery.
A variety of patient support devices are generally known in the art for use in supporting a surgery patient under anesthesia on an operating table in a predetermined and substantially fixed position to facilitate certain surgical procedures. In this regard, such patient support devices are especially useful to support a surgery patient in a position lying on one side, commonly referred to as a lateral decubitus position, to facilitate surgical procedures such as hip, pelvis or bariatric surgery. The support devices are typically mounted by clamps or the like onto side edges of the operating table, and provide upstanding support plates for engaging the patient anteriorly and posteriorly in the pelvic region and the chest region. Secure patient retention can be extremely important in the course of some surgical procedures such as hip arthroplasty wherein it is desirable to retain the patient in a fixed reference position relative to the operating table to achieve optimum fit and function of a hip prosthesis. The supports should also be of such strength and stability that the operating table can be tilted from side to side to support the patient. Unfortunately, conventional patient support devices, such as the device shown and described with respect to U.S. Pat. No. 5,390,383 (hereinafter “the '383 patent”), the contents of which are herein incorporated by reference, use paddle-shaped, round peg-like or rectangular upstanding plates that tend to engage soft tissues in the anterior pelvic region, resulting in inadequate patient support and retention in supporting obese patients. The support device of the '383 patent does engage the boney prominences of the anterior pelvic region, but the upright support and fixation mechanism can undesirably engage the protuberant abdomen of the obese patient. Also, prior art devices prevent the patient from being positioned toward the front edge of the operating table so the surgeon can be closely positioned to the anterior of the patient during surgery. Supporting the patient by contacting soft tissue, especially in the anterior pelvic region, have sometimes resulted in circulatory restrictions and/or other complications attributable to the pressure applied to skin or to vital organs.
There exists, therefore, a significant need for improvements in patient support devices designed to securely and safely engage the anterior pelvic region of an obese surgery patient lying in a lateral decubitus position. In particular, such a support device should include a double-ended bracket-arm having a deep recess in a central portion thereof to accommodate the protuberant abdomen, said central portion of the bracket-arm being fixed to an angular bracket post mounted to an offset, angular, anteriorly justified bracket in the general shape of a question mark to minimize protuberant abdomen engagement and to position said patient in close proximity to a front edge of the operating table. The present invention fulfills this need and provides other related advantages.